Supreme Court Broadens Use of Expert Testimony Against Accused Criminals

Justices said experts can testify about ’most people' in a group to which a defendant belongs.

Supreme Court Associate Justice Clarence Thomas poses for an official portrait at the East Conference Room of the Supreme Court building in Washington on Oct. 7, 2022. Alex Wong/Getty Images

The U.S. Supreme Court on June 20 sided with the government in a case centering on expert testimony in criminal trials.

In a 6–3 ruling, the justices said that experts can testify to how “most people” in a group to which a defendant belongs think, upholding a lower court ruling.